Reginald Harry Plumb / Weldon Balsham 1911 census

[Gherkin6]

I wonder if anyone has any info on Reginald Harry Weldon - this is the name shown on a 1911 census for High Street, Balsham, Cambridgeshire.
His birth is registered as Reginald Harry Plumb, born 1900 Paddington.
Reginald is shown as the grandson of Robert Plumb, my great-great-grandfather in 1911. I can't seem to find much out about him after that. He is shown as having been born in Paddington, London, and several of Robert Plumb's daughters worked in Paddington as servants. In 1901 he is living with his aunt Mary in Paddington.
Living in Paddington, less than a mile away, in 191, was a musical hall artist called Harry Weldon, birth name James Henry Stanley from Liverpool. I'm intrigued to know if there was a connection. Harry Weldon was a pretty popular performer, and maybe there isn't a real connection, and I understand he didn't start his career in London until 1901. Any info on Harry Weldon's career in London before 1901 (if any) would be useful.
I've done a lot of research on this line of the Plumb family, originating in Balsham, then moved to Stratford, Essex (now London), then to Ponders End, Enfield, where my grandparents Charles & Daisy Plumb lived.
Reginald is proving to be a bit of a puzzle!

[chempat]

Have you applied for his birth certificate to see who his Mother is?

His exact date of birth could pinpoint his death - if his Mother subsequently married and he took that surname, he could be searched for that way.

[bedfordshire boy]

Welcome to Rootschat!

I see from your Ancestry tree that you have his death in 1981 from which you have his birth as 6 Jun 1900.

We can speculate ad infinitum. His birth cert will give his mother's name. What puzzles me is why his birth registration was as Plumb yet in 1911 he was Reginald Weldon (not Reginald Harry Weldon). I can't see a Plumb/Weldon marriage which might explain it.

David

[chempat]

So he died as Reginald Weldon in Cambridgeshire.

Are you in contact with any of his family?

[Gherkin6]

Thanks for your interest in my query on Reginald Harry Plumb / Weldon.
I've applied for the birth certificate and am looking forward to getting it!

I don’t know of anyone connected to our Plumb family called Weldon. There are over 30 cousins in my generation, the youngest of whom is well over 40 now, and we do try and keep in touch, but no-one knows about this chap.

I expect the father’s name won’t be on the certificate. There seem to have been quite a few births outside marriage in that generation of the family.
The death I have on Ancestry is just a guess from those I searched for – it appeared to be the most likely.

My great-great-grandfather Robert Plumb had a sister called Mary, who had a daughter outside of marriage, named Emma Neves Plumb. I discovered that Mary was working as a servant in the same household as a chap called Charles Neves, so although he may not be named as father on the birth certificate, it’s a fair bet he is.

I suspect the name Weldon was being used because of the fame of the musical hall artist, Harry Weldon, even though there may be no connection whatsoever. I’ve found this before in 19th century in another family tree, where people have used names of famous or rich people, sometimes just for a while.
To correct my original post, Harry Weldon was in Paddington in 1911, not 1901, he became widely known in London after 1901.

I was rather hoping that someone, somewhere, may be a descendant of Reginald Plumb / Weldon or of Harry Weldon, see this and make contact, but I know it’s a very long shot.

Any info greatly appreciated.

Jenny

[action49]

I've sent you a PM about Reg. Just spoke to my dad who had in the back of his mind that Reg was actually son of one of the Plumb boys and that his mum was the Weldon but I could see only 2 of them (John and Charles) and both look to have been in Essex having other kids at the time Reg was born so I'm not sure that's the answer. He was always known as Weldon.

Dad says that he was living in the village with Sid Plumb (his cousin I suspect???) and Champ Jacobs when Sid was about to get married and wanted to do up the house (just after the war) and Reg and Champ needed to find other digs for 3 weeks. However, Reg decided he'd rather stay - which he did until 1981! That was through two house moves as well! (Unless you've read my pm that makes no sense - he lodged with my grandparents and was one of "our" family!)

I will ask my aunt next week and also my uncle (who has Plumbs in his line!) and see if they know more.

[Gherkin6]

Thank you very much for your message - I got an email notification of a message on Rootschat - I don't think the pm notifies, and as I don't get on Rootschat much I hadn't seen it but have now.

I did get his birth certificate, it says:  REGINALD HARRY PLUMB, date 6th June 1900, born at 30 Delamere Crescent. No father, mother Eliza Plumb, domestic cook of 25 Upper Westbourne Terrace.

So, still no clues about his father. His mother Eliza Plumb is a servant in the 1901 census: at 25, Upper Westbourne Terrace. Eliza Wyatt 69, widow, living on own means, R Wyatt 50, boarder, servants - sisters Eliza Plumb 25, cook, Lucy Plumb 20, housemaid.

It is really good of you to reply to me about this, thank you so much. I've sent a pm too.

[chempat]

Presumably this is Eliza's birth:

Births June quarter  1875  Eliza Plumb    Linton   

Have you found a possible marriage or death for her?

[Gherkin6]

No marriages found yet that I can say is her for certain. I found a 1911 census in Little Chishall and Heydon, Hertfordshire for an Eliza Gray born Balsham, living with husband Fredrick, but can't identify a marriage for them to see what her maiden name was. It shows their marriage as 1898, so I don't hold out much hope it's her, as I have her as Eliza Plumb in 1901, working as a housemaid with her sister Lucy in Paddington.